UK Economics Chart Pack Recovery reaches its high-point The economy managed a much stronger than expected expansion in the second quarter, with GDP rising by 1.1%. (See Chart.) However, this is likely to be as good as it gets for this stage of the economic... 2nd August 2010 · 1 min read
UK Economics Chart Pack High street holding up for now (Jul 10) Consumers do not appear to have let concerns about the fiscal squeeze affect their spending too much yet. Nonetheless, there are some signs that the spending recovery is starting to lose momentum. And... 22nd July 2010 · 1 min read
UK Economics Chart Pack The fiscal squeeze arrives The £40bn of additional fiscal tightening announced in June’s emergency Budget takes the total tightening to some £128bn by 2015/16, the equivalent of some 8% of GDP. (See Chart.) With the private... 1st July 2010 · 1 min read
UK Economics Chart Pack Confidence wavers as fiscal squeeze looms (Jun 10) Although the latest news has been mixed, consumer spending on the whole appears to be holding up well. But there are other signs that cracks in the recovery are appearing, including recent falls in... 17th June 2010 · 1 min read
UK Economics Chart Pack Rise in inflation still likely to be only temporary The further rise in CPI inflation in April – which triggered another letter from the Governor to the Chancellor – prompted claims that the MPC is being too sanguine about the inflation outlook. But we... 4th June 2010 · 1 min read
UK Economics Chart Pack Consumer spending fragile ahead of fiscal squeeze (May 10) Consumer spending has struggled to pick up again even though the various temporary factors weighing on spending earlier in the year have now disappeared. The consumer recovery may yet gain some... 20th May 2010 · 1 min read
UK Economics Chart Pack Weak backdrop to election By any ordinary standards, the economic backdrop to the general election is poor. Only on three previous occasions since 1955 have elections taken place against a background of negative annual GDP... 6th May 2010 · 1 min read
UK Economics Chart Pack Consumers fight off pre-election jitters (Apr 10) Consumer spending has continued to bounce back from the snow and VAT related weakness seen at the start of the year. And with consumer confidence holding up despite the looming fiscal squeeze, the... 22nd April 2010 · 1 min read
UK Economics Chart Pack Recovery still looking sluggish The economy has bounced back somewhat since the weakness at the start of the year, suggesting that much of it was just a temporary response to the snow and VAT rise. But the housing and consumer... 31st March 2010 · 1 min read
UK Economics Chart Pack Bounce-back from snow may be short-lived (Mar 10) It is clearly reassuring that consumer spending has recovered somewhat after the snow and VAT rise pulled down spending at the start of the year. And in the near-term, spending should receive some... 25th March 2010 · 1 min read
UK Economics Chart Pack MPC pauses – but not for long The Monetary Policy Committee voted to pause its programme of quantitative easing (QE) at its latest meeting. But both the Inflation Report - showing inflation undershooting its target further ahead -... 2nd March 2010 · 1 min read
UK Economics Chart Pack Recovery struggling to maintain momentum (Feb-10) The new year got off to a very weak start. Admittedly, temporary factors played some part in this. Not only did the snow discourage spending, but consumers may have pulled forward purchases of... 22nd February 2010 · 1 min read
UK Economics Chart Pack UK crawls out of recession The UK finally emerged from recession in the last quarter of last year, but by the skin of its teeth. GDP posted a quarterly rise of just 0.1%, comparing poorly to the initial rises in output seen in... 2nd February 2010 · 1 min read
UK Economics Chart Pack A reasonable end to last year (Jan 10) As we expected, consumer spending picked up pace towards the end of December. Not only do consumers tend to do their Christmas shopping later and later, but the VAT rise encouraged them to bring some... 22nd January 2010 · 1 min read
UK Economics Chart Pack UK economy looking better-balanced The National Accounts published at the end of last year left the economy looking better-balanced than before. The balance of payments deficit should have recorded the smallest deficit last year since... 6th January 2010 · 1 min read
UK Economics Chart Pack Still time for an end-of-year surge (Dec 09) It does not appear to have been a spectacular run-up to Christmas on the high street so far. But with the Chancellor confirming that VAT will return to 17.5% on 1st January, we should see an end-of... 17th December 2009 · 1 min read